80 THE CREAMERY PATRON'S HANDBOOK. 



at all times. Throwing large quantities of roughage before a cow, gets her 

 into the bad habit of eating only the most appetizing parts and wasting much 

 feed. It is a good practice to take a la'ntern and go the rounds of the barn 

 before retiring for the night to see that everything is as it should be. 



When the calf is dropped leave it with the dam a few hours to afford 

 her an opportunity to lick it. 



If the cow gives milk containing only an ordinary amount of solids 

 and butterfat, the calf may be permitted to take what nourishment it wants 

 the first time; but if the cow gives very rich milk, only a little should be 

 allowed, otherwise there is danger of having a bad case of indigestion on 

 your hands the second day. Just at this time much attention should be 

 be given the cow by way of grooming, not with a currycomb, but with a 

 brush, and frequent rubbing of the udder. This will prove beneficial to 

 the cow and profitable to you. After the calf has taken nourishment once 

 it should be removed, preferably when the dam is not in tl>e stall or pen, 

 for it is better that she does not associate you with the loss of her calf, and 

 that she may more readily transfer her affection to you. By removing the 

 calf at once, it is soon forgotten and thus disturbance is minimized. The 

 first mess for the cow should be about half a pail of whole or preferably 

 ground oats, which has been allowed to stand covered for half an hour after 

 pouring hot water over it. There are stimulating properties in the oats 

 which will aid her in passing the afterbirth. If oats is not to be had give 

 her a warm bran mash containing a pint of oil meal or corn oil meal or a 

 handful of ground flax or a pint of boiled flax. The degree of her usefulness 

 during this period of her lactation depends largely on your skill in bring- 

 ing her to a full feed and full flow of milk. It takes a cow about three weeks 

 to reach her full flow and the same time should be taken in getting her to 

 full feed. If nature takes its proper course the afterbirth will pass the first 

 day, though this may not take place until the second day, and in the mean- 

 time the oats or bran mash should be fed twice a day for two days, when a 

 gradual change may be made to the regular ration. The amount that 

 should be given at first depends, of course, upon the cow. But in a general 

 way a half of a ration of the concentrates will answer, permitting her to 

 satisfy her appetite on clover or pea hay. She has, if properly fed, stored 

 up in her body a surplus of carbonaceous nutriment upon which nature in- 

 tended that she should draw and thus make it unnecessary for her to eat 

 heating carbohydrates to add more heat to an already feverish condition 

 of the system. So if the carbonaceous nourishment is scant the system 

 will the more quickly be reduced to normal temperature and the liability to 

 caked bag or milk fever will be lessened. The linseed meal or flax was 

 recommended with a view of keeping the bowels in a laxative condition. 

 Special care should be exercised in not exposing the cow to cold drafts at 

 this critical period. If it seems necessary to leave the barn or stable door 

 open for a while the cow should be blanketed, but this should be removed 

 soon after the door is closed, for if she becomes accustomed to a blanket 



